Rome never ceases to reveal new facets, and this news confirms it: right in the heart of the Eternal City, a short walk from Largo di Torre Argentina, lies a captivating and little-known place where art, history, and mystery intertwine. It is the crypt of the Church of the Holy Stigmata of Saint Francis, an underground chamber that guards an extraordinary testament to funerary art from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
After a significant restoration, this small treasure of the capital is finally accessible to the public again. From November 5 to December 10, 2026, it will be possible to visit it free of charge, discovering rooms adorned with human bones, frescoes, and ancient archaeological testimonies that recount centuries of Roman history.
What to see in the Crypt of the Holy Stigmata of Saint Francis
The reopening is the result of work carried out by the Special Superintendency for Rome, thanks to funding from the PNRR Caput Mundi, amounting to a total investment of 2.1 million euros. The restoration made it possible to recover the two underground rooms of the crypt, bringing to light the evocative decorations created with bone elements sourced from the ancient ossuary. A funerary tradition that, between the 17th and 18th centuries, transformed human remains into decorative compositions with a strong religious significance.
Great care was also given to the faux-marble frescoes and to the Deposition, a mural painting that had suffered serious damage due to humidity. The interventions also affected the flooring, the tablets, and the ancient entrance, which has been reopened after the works. A walkway and a new LED lighting system now allow visitors to cross the spaces safely, highlighting their architectural and artistic details.
But the crypt’s story goes back even further. Under the floor lie Roman-era masonry structures, probably linked to the Diribitorium, the building where votes cast in the nearby Saepta Julia were scrutinized.
How to visit the crypt for free
The crypt lies beneath the Church of the Holy Stigmata of Saint Francis, on Largo delle Stimmate, in the historic center of Rome, just a short distance from Largo di Torre Argentina. The religious complex has medieval origins, but it assumed its current appearance in the eighteenth century, when the church was rebuilt according to the project of architect Giovan Battista Contini.
To celebrate the completion of the restorations, the Special Superintendency of Rome organized a schedule of free extraordinary openings, which will allow exploring the crypt without a reservation. The visits will be possible only on the following days: Thursday, November 5, 12, 19 and 26; Thursday, December 3 and 10, 2026. The opening hours will be from 15:00 to 20:00, with free admission and no booking required.
